DOOM TO DIE THE MOTHER OF MY SON

DOOM TO DIE THE MOTHER OF MY SON (By Raani82) (Thanked: 55 times)

Hello my dear readers,

Very happy to be amidst you all after a long gap. Due to personal reasons I was not able to stay in touch. Now I'm back. Back with another story. Except for the familiar names, the story is in no way connected to the original serial. Inspired by some of the books I read, I decided to write this story. Hope you'll all support me. Happy reading!

God Bless!

With love

Rani.

DOOMED TO DIE- THE MOTHER OF MY SON.

PROLOGUE

MUMBAI - 2003

Kushi closed the file that was in her hand and looked at her clean table top and let out a huge sigh of relief. "Finally..... I'm done...forever here...." She brought her PC to life and gave the print command and watched as the important letter she had typed after much deliberation, roll out of the printer.

Her eyes scanned the letter once again and she let out a long sigh. "Please God! Give me strength to face my boss. I don't even know if I've taken the right decision, but one thing I'm very sure. I can no longer stay in this place. I can't! God I can't!" Tears were brimming in her eyes , threatening to roll down any second. No, she told herself. "I've cried enough. This is not the time to fall apart." She rubbed her eyes.

She peeked into her boss's office and was surprised that he had still not made his appearance in his office. She silently thanked all the Gods for saving her the trouble of keeping him away from her.

Her boss, Mr. Akshay Saxena, the CEO of Crescent Real Estates, was the typical spoilt bachelor son of a rag to riches father who fought his way into the highest echelons of the society. The company which was doing really well for few years was now in doldrums after the old man's death . With half his fortune squandered away on extravagance, races and women, Akshay Saxena found himself facing the wrath of his customers. Money stopped flowing and the banks woke up to his faulty repayments or rather non payment schedule and they began to put pressure on him. She could very well see the creases on his handsome face and pitied him at times but hated him the next second when his waywardness and womanising habits wouldn't stop. He had tried his charm on her and her colleagues as well. Though a couple of them fell prey she never gave in to him. She looked around the empty office and sighed. It was getting late but she decided to stay back and end the matter. She had decided to move to Jaipur. Nothing was going to stop her, not even her sister Payal. In fact it was Payal's friend who used her influence to get her into a college there.

She stiffened as she heard the soft opening and closing of the lift doors. She heard the unmistakable footsteps of her boss walking towards his office. He glanced towards her as he entered his office. Kushi gave him a couple of minutes, then took the envelope and knocked on his door and entered after getting his permission.

"Kushi? This late?" And then he saw the envelope in her hand and looked at her questioningly. She handed him the cover. He opened it and read her resignation letter.

"Why?"

"You know very well...why I can't stay here..."

"Look Kushi...I know ...I know...and I've also been telling that you can't blame yourself for the tragedy. What has happened has happened.... move on with your life...you are still very young.."

"Exactly...I've decided to move on in my life and that's why I'm going to Jaipur." He rounded the table and came and stood next to her. Kushi cringed, but stood her ground. She had to get this over. Get out of there without any damages done. Having come this far if she messed up now she thought she'll never be able to achieve anything in life. She needed his recommendations, her relieving letter. What if he refused to give that? What if he refused to let her go? No Kushi....don't go there.

Akshay held her shoulders and made her sit on the chair. He seated his long frame on the table and looked at her.

"You know...I almost believed you were the right person for me...I wanted you to myself..." He looked at his clasped hands. Kushi looked away. "But then you were a victim of the circumstances...all that happened in your family...I let the chance go..."

Kushi gritted her teeth. "Did this man twice her age, really think I would fall for his charm and become his wife when he was parading with his harem in front of the cameras?" But she stayed silent.

"Kushi...listen carefully...I have a deal for you...."she looked at him.

"I can make your bua a grandma once again..."

Her mouth dropped open. With round big eyes spewing anger, she tried to get up. He calmly pushed her down. "Relax...hear me out fully."

"What do you mean grandmother...once again?"she asked angrily.

"Weren't you almost a mother to your brother's baby..."

She looked down. Tears brimming in her eyes. If she hadn't fought with him, if she hadn't sent him to his death that day....NK and his daughter..Anisha will still be with her. She drove them to their deaths. She closed her eyes. Tears rolling down her cheeks. Her bua never recovered from the shock of her son's death and was living like a zombie. Akshay pulled out some tissues and handed them to her.

"Kushi..."he said softly, "A very important client, a very rich, powerful and an influential person in this city approached me. His daughter, a teenager has delivered a baby. Neither the mother, nor the grandparents are interested to have this baby in their family. He doesn't want the world to know about this child. I promised him I'll take care of this matter. He is willing to pay a huge some for this. This will help me take care of a part of the crisis the company is facing right now....."

"No....don't involve me in all this ...this is not right....this is not legal...I cannot just walk out of here holding a baby....no....no..."she once again tried to get up and leave.

Akshay knew how to corner her, "Kushi...nobody wants this baby....imagine.."

Kushi stopped. A new born....abandoned... By it's mother and family.... For no fault of...." She looked at him, "A boy or a girl?" "A boy!"

"What if the father comes after me and claimed the child to be his in the future?"

He smiled. He knew he had got her interested. "Who is the father?"sh asked.

"Not known....Kushi....an army man who had a brief fling for couple of weeks and fled the scene. You have taken care of a baby....at such a young age, it comes so naturally to you... And now something that will help you and your bua to overcome your grief...and you'll benefit financially as well...its a win win for all of us...think Kushi."

She closed her eyes. "God!" She looked at him again, "No...no...there I'll be lots of problems in the future. What if the mother comes asking for him later? What if the family wants him back? This is illegal...without papers..."

"My client doesn't want to know anything about the person who is going to adopt the child....once the baby leaves his farm house that's all ...he loses all the connection. The father doesn't know he has a child. I can get you all the papers...you can be the mother of the baby whose father and sister were killed in an accident and once you leave Mumbai nobody will ever know about you and the baby here. It will be a new beginning for you in a new city."

She kept shaking her head. But the image of a small bundle....abandoned, not cared for, not wanted by anybody, pierced her heart. Her throat went dry and words refused to come out of her mouth.

"I don't want the money..."she said softly.

"But...why?"

"But it is illegal..."

"I can get the birth certificate of the baby, with your name as the mother . You'll be the widow of a man who died in an accident. I can get his death certificate as well. Give me a couple of weeks and all the necessary documents will reach you."

"How do you know that they will not accuse me of kidnapping the baby? What if?

"Kushi....relax....they won't even know the baby is going to be with you....that way I'm securing the future of all of us...." She remained silent. A small baby, not wanted...crying for love....she closed her eyes. Is this the answer for her prayers?

"Okay."she said softly.

"Great! You will not regret this day...I promise you...you are not only doing a great service to your bua, think about the new secure life this baby is going to have and you are saving this company, its employees and their families..." said Akshay with an exuberance of a teenager.

Kushi silently turned and reached for the door. "Kushi..."he called.

She turned. "What do you want to name him?"

Without hesitation she said, "Anish..... Anish Kis**** Gupta"

"Brilliant! Your cousin's as well as your name..."

He nodded. "Thank you...thank you....I know you will not regret this decision...."

Kushi looked at him. Nodded slowly. "Hope so....God! I hope so!" She said to herself and walked out of the room.

DOOMED TO DIE THE MOTHER OF MY SON (By Raani82) (Thanked: 41 times)

Anish Kis**** Gupta, was finding it difficult to find his way in the dark. "Run...run..run..."he told himself, as he stumbled but managed to stay on his foot.

"Ganapathy pappa mouriya!!!! Agile baras thu jalthi AAU!!! Ganapthy pappa..." He could hear the shouting and drums and bhajans coming loudly from nearby loudspeakers. In between the tin thatched huts he saw glimmering lights..red, blue, green, white , yellow and pink all glittering, putting the stars on the sky to shame. He ran in between the crowd and reached the other end of the street. He saw him. That man. A black hooded figure, searching for him. He ducked into another narrow gulley.

He was running through dark narrow lanes, with tin sheets covered huts on both sides. He ran running for his life unmindful of the overflowing open gutters, the all pervasive stench from the garbage strewn on the roadsides and the growling dogs. He stumbled as he tried very hard to avoid stepping over a couple of sleeping puppies and tried to evade the mother which tried to attack him. He rolled and fell. The dog was on him. He screamed as he pushed the dog away and tried to get up when he saw the glinting knife on the hand of dark hooded figure that was pursuing him. A killer! He got up kicked the dog which came at his legs and ran. He could now hear the man's footsteps and knew the man was closing the gap between them. Why was he pursuing him? Why is he trying to kill him?

"Run.....run.. " but he couldn't a huge hand caught his shirt collar and pulled him backwards. "No....no..."he screamed and it was always at this point he woke up startled and sweat pouring from his face in spite of the desert cooler blowing cool air directly in front of him.

Anish wiped his face and closed his eyes and tried to calm himself down. He waited to hear some noise in the next room. Nothing. "Thank God!" He muttered. His mother didn't hear him screaming. He didn't want her to know about these dreams he had been having lately torturing him in his sleep. He didn't want to add to her worries about him.

He turned and looked at the wall clock. It was early in the morning. He wiped his face off the sweat. He desperately wanted to smoke. If his mother knew she'll die right there. But he was fifteen. He was old enough , he thought. He got from the bed, pulled his mattress down and slowly palmed the top of the plywood. He felt the ridges on the top where he made a box and fixed it at the bottom of his cot. He opened it and felt inside. He had kept his treasures, hidden from his mother's prying eyes inside the box. Few cigarettes, a magazine with nude pictures that he found near the bajra field, a match box, and a photo of Mayuri and him together taken during their school annual sports day. He closed the box straightened the mattress and got up and went straight to the bathroom still thinking about his nightmare. Why is somebody trying to kill me? Why? Why these dreams now? Why me? He wore his pants and quietly went down. His dog Toughy , was sitting all perked up wagging his tail wildly. "Shhh..."he kept his fingers on his lips and signalled him to stay quiet. The dog calmed down. Both sneaked out of the kitchen door and Anish sat on the ground leaning against the wall. Toughy ran off to attend to his nature calls. He lighted his cigarette , and pulled deeply inside and relaxed. He smiled to himself. If his mother found out that he was smoking she'd freak out, hell ...she'd freak out if he told her about his nightmares. No he can't tell her about his dreams. Probably they meant nothing. But he knew. They were premonitions of things to come. Already she was worried about his ability to see the future sometimes, on top of that if he told her that somebody was about to kill him she'll go mad with fear. No. He can't tell her. He had to analyse the dream first. He was running and there was a killer behind him. He saw lights , closed rooms, huge buildings fast moving traffic from all sides. He could feel the moisture in the air, unlike the dry air in PILANI. He could smell the sea. There were decorated idols and pandals everywhere. And the man was getting closer and closer to him before he woke up screaming. But one dream was vivid in his memory. In which a man turned and said, "Son, I'm your father." Why would someone say that to him? His father Nandh Kis**** was dead. It must be a dream. He consoled himself. But he knew it was not just a dream.

Toughy having finished his business, came and sat next to him.

He realised he had this strange ability to know some things that were about to happen. The pictures just flashed in his mind , like the flashes that pop from people's mobile phones when they took pictures. His friends began to call him 'Paagal', "shaithan' 'mental' and some parents even asked their kids not to play with him and stay away from him. Now after all these years of being ridiculed, and ostracized, he learned to be alone, he knew what to say and what not to say, but still the name 'mental' got stuck on him. Everybody in that small town knew he was a freak. His mother and his aunt Payal should have taught him to keep his mouth shut, should have told him that it was not right to tell others some things that might hurt them. They had encouraged him to talk, to share his dreams and... he had talked too much.

"You know Toughy boy,"he said softly, "life was so easy when you were small."

Friends liked to hear him say things which they didn't know. They thought it was so cool. They crowded around him to know which team will win the match, what that particular teacher had in her mind etc. It was really wonderful they thought to be able to see through a window into the future. But as years went by this very advantage made you their enemy. Parents began to point fingers at him and talked about him at his back. Elders quickly avoided looking at him and walked away from him as if they were scared. He became a loner. He stopped talking to anybody about anything. Even when his few friends asked he'd always say he was not able to see anything. "Wish I could talk to somebody...wish somebody is out there who would listen to me and not judge me...wish I could go away from here, start a new life... "He hugged his dog, who whined softly licking his hand as if he understood him.

He glanced at the small opening in the fence in between their house and the old man Rat****'s house next door. The old man had been like a grand father to him. He would listen patiently to all his stories. He never made fun of what he told about others. He even allowed him to taste the home made wine his family had made in their home. "It is not fair Dada to leave me alone and go away." He sobbed. The old man had died a year ago. He was alone in his house when he got the attack. Anish felt strange the whole day, he was at home helping his mother but sensed something in the air. Something was not right. He changed his voice and called an ambulance to the Rat**** house. Kushi looked terrified at what he had done. She locked themselves and kept inside afraid the police would come to warn her. Later they learned that the paramedics had found the old man dead , his hands were still clutching his heart.

"What was the hurry to leave me alone and go off like that?"he asked angrily at the dark looming house beyond the fence.

Anish got up and walked back slowly to his room. Bewildered, confused, wondering what to do and how to find out who this pursuer might be and why he was trying to kill him?

DOOM TO DIE THE MOTHER OF MY SON (By Raani82) (Thanked: 30 times)

Couple of hours later with his school bag on one shoulder and sports bag on the other, he came down to have his breakfast.

"There you are my sunshine. Good morning! " came Kushi's cheerful voice.

"Good morning ma! And stop calling me that!" He scowled.

"Why? What's wrong? You are my baby. I can call what ever I want." She came near him and gently ran her fingers over his hair, straightening it to one side.

"Amma! Stop it! "He tussled his hair again.

Kushi shrugged and walked towards the kitchen. She came back carrying two plates filled with toast. One she placed it before him. Then went in and got another plate with a large omelette. "There you go!" She took one toast to spread butter on it. He pulled it from her hand, stuffed the omelette between two toasts and took a huge bite.

"Anish?"she looked at him.

"Sh..it!"he muttered. He knew his mother has noticed that something was bothering him.

"Anish!" Kushi rebuked hearing him. What is it?

He hurriedly swallowed his breakfast, hoping to escape her inquisitive eyes and leave before she started questioning him.

"What happened baby? Did you have another..."

"For God's sake....I'm not a baby ma....I'm fifteen years old....already my friends are making fun of me that I'm a mama's boy." He bit into the toast again.

"Did you sleep well?" She asked.

If only she knew, she will not let him out of her sight. "Yes ma." He lied. "I have a test today and I have to leave early...."he got up to wash his hands.

"And from when was my darling boy afraid of any test?"

He glared at her then headed straight to the door. "Wait! Have your milk..."

"I don't want it...I'm not a baby..."

She followed him to the door. He quickly walked out opened the courtyard gate and began to walk towards the main road where his friends were waiting for the school bus. She almost ran towards the gate.

"Have a nice day Anish and be good."she called out.

He stopped to turn and look at her. The bright smile on her face was his undoing. He smiled back. "You too amma!" He called out as he walked backwards looking at her. She waved a good bye and said, "All the best for your test!"she said.

He waved back, gave a thumbs up sign and turned and walked away. Kushi stood there looking at his retreating back. She sighed. Her son was growing up fast and he has been having lots of trouble at school lately. Wish she could talk to someone. Payal? No use. She knew what her answer would be. "You are unnecessarily worrying and all you need is a man to take care of you." She would drawl in an irritating husky whisper.

She quietly had her breakfast, cleared up the table and got ready to go to school.

It was so difficult for her to concentrate with the morning events at the back of her mind. Anish was growing up and growing up so fast. And he was distancing himself from her. As a kid he always shared his thoughts and his dreams , he talked about his friends and his teachers. As years went by he had moved into a shell. And Kushi began to find it more and more difficult to break the shell. She was becoming frustrated.

She remembered the first time she realised he had this strange intuitive power to look into the future and she was so scared she didn't know who to turn to. She did not know then. They had just returned from his friend Ajay's birthday party. Anish was six years old. All the sweets made him hyperactive and it took couple of hours for him to settle down. And just when Kushi thought he was done for the night, he asked in a soft drowsy voice, "Ma... Why do they cover a sleeping man with white cloth?"

"What? Oh! Probably he is feeling cold...baby it is very late... sleep now."she said.

"Ma... But why is Ajay's father sleeping on the road, with dirty white cloth covered with ketch up...over his head like this?" He showed her by pulling the sheet over his head. "What? Enough Anish..I'm tired of listening to your horror stories."

"There were lots of lights amma...and sirens...police..."

"Anish...if you don't stop talking now....I'm going to switch off all the lights.." Kushi said exasperated. "No...no ma...let the lights be on?" He said closing his eyes tightly.

What was he talking about? Probably a scene from kid's show? Why do they show such stuff on TV?

Exactly a week later Ajay's father was hit by a truck on the highway while returning from his bank. It didn't strike her at that time.

Suddenly one morning he said he didn't want to go to school.

"What are you starting now?" Kushi got really irritated.

"I don't like hospital amma..please..."

"Anish...stop it...we are not going to a hospital..... get ready ...to go to school...now!" She was really angry.

Her heart clenched when she saw his tearful face inside the bus. She had hardly reached her school gate when her phone rang. It was Anish's school principal. Children were playing cricket, and as Anish stepped inside the gates, the ball had hit him right on his forehead and they are taking him to the hospital and she asked Kushi to come there. Kushi froze. She turned and ran out of her school took an auto and went straight to the hospital praying all the time. "My baby! My baby! "She kept muttering.

Luckily it just needed a couple of stitches and both returned home. Kushi never left his side the whole day. It worried her. "Baby...why did you say you didn't want to go to school?"she asked slowly.

"I saw amma....that blood was coming from my face..."

"What? When? What are you saying baby?"

"While sleeping....I see amma..."

Kushi froze. "Baby...tell me...what do you see?"

"Pictures just come in front of my eyes. Sometimes about my friends....I told Saji also that day...that she should go home ...that her nani is very sick...and that afternoon her parents took her home."

"Yes Saji's nani went to God." Kushi said.

"Did Ajay's father also go to God? Our teacher said so. He is leaving school."

Kushi sat up straight. It was then she remembered him telling her about Ajay's father.

"Devi Mayya! Help me! " "Anish....did you see Ajay's father in your sleep?"

Out of fear she decided to call her sister Payal . Payal rushed to Jaipur from Delhi. And they talked and decided to keep the secret to themselves. It was a small town and eventually news began to spread from kids to parents to whole town. As he grew older, Anish got into many fights and some days he used to come crying saying that his friends called him 'mental'. He cried a lot those years, and would come running to her. His classmates called him sissy, a coward...and a girl for crying every time. He got into trouble because he would blurt out that his team was going to lose the match, or the boy, who took his pen was going to get thrashing from his father. Payal was the only one who he listened to when he was in that mood. She consoled him saying that Angels were helping him know some things which no body knew about because he was very special. The matters became worse when not knowing the implications, Anish one day told his Math teacher that her husband had not gone to Mumbai on a business trip but was in Agra with another woman. "Even my mom knows about that...madam." He said smiling. The teacher enraged, called Kushi and threatened to complain to the police and take her to court on defamation case. Kushi just apologised and walked away with Anish. He was too young to understand even if she explained to him that he should not say things like that to elders. Those were the toughest days in their lives. Every other day one teacher or other, one parent or other had something to tell her about him. They accused her of not knowing to bring up a child. Anish became more and more angry more and more difficult to talk to. The dreams, the visions were confusing him. Scaring him. By the age of ten, he learned to categorize them. Most of the troublesome ones he kept to himself. Good ones, and not so troublesome ones he shared with his mother.

Slowly she began to listen to him. "You better give me the keys....you'll be late today, I'll go with Irfan to his house." She would be unexpectedly caught up with some dignitaries and be late that day. Sometimes he would just have a confused look on his face but wouldn't say anything. "Today there was a terrible accident near the college...."she would go on. "Anish? I'm talking to you." "I knew amma..."

He soon realised that he was different and that people didn't like to hear what he had to tell them on the other hand his mother became worried and scared whenever he told her about his dreams or about people. So he went into a shell. Even if he knew something he never told anyone anything. Lately he has started getting dreams. She heard him moaning sometimes in his sleep. Mostly the lights were on the whole night in his room. It seemed as if he was afraid to even sleep. He was not forthcoming. He is a good boy and loved her that much she knew. But she couldn't bear to see him suffer. She must talk to him , she must make him talk she thought.

DOOMED TO DIE THE MOTHER OF MY SON (By Raani82) (Thanked: 36 times)

DOOMED TO DIE- THE MOTHER OF MY SON.

CHAPTER - 3

PILANI- 2018

It was Saturday afternoon and the school was closing early for the week end . Kushi collected her books and assignment papers she had to assess, her laptop and other things and was ready to leave her cabin when her phone rang. She placed all her bags down and took out her phone from the purse.

She groaned. It was Mrs Ahuja, the town's broadcasting agency. Nothing escaped her eyes and no secret could ever be hidden from her, any news when it came to her knowledge spread across the town, faster than light.

"Hello Mrs Ahuja.....I'm just leaving for home...."she started.

"So...tell me Kushi...is Anish all right?"she asked.

Fear gripped her stomach, Ahuja's girl Aditi was in Anish's class. "Yeah...he is fine...why...?" Ahuja did not allow Kushi to complete, "Because he didn't go to school I guess so I just called to enquire..."

"But...Anish..."

"Look Kushi, take my advise when I say you have to be very strict with your son....you know you must always keep an eye on his whereabouts...otherwise matters will get out of hand...this is a crucial year he can't be missing classes and they have important tests this week..."

"Now wait a minute....Anish did go to school today...what do you..?"

"Now if he had been to school I wouldn't be wasting my time calling you...my dear... Sometimes I wonder if you are really his mother...." She laughed, Kushi froze. What is she talking about? "A mother will always have this intuition ...about their kids you know..."

"I had just been to the Mann Singh Chowk.…..came from shopping...you know my niece...Anju..."The lady rattled on. Kushi was losing it. She tried to collect her things in one hand, with the phone in the other she quickly walked towards the stairs. She was desperate now to get home. "Aunty..you were telling about Anish...missing school..." She cut her in between, eager to end the conversation and go home. "I saw him leave for school today.."

"I just saw him in the market... Kushi...what is he doing here? He is in his uniform and was talking to a guy....hope he is not getting into any bad habits...be very careful dear...you have to check his room...you know for drugs and other stuff.."

Kushi wanted to slam the phone hard on her face....but with at most control she said, "Thanks for the warning..aunty...I'll keep an eye on him. Bye!" She dropped the phone in her purse adjusted the bags and ran to her car. "Anish...what have you done now?"

Why was he in the market and not in school? Did he get into some trouble? She groaned , fear, worry and anxiety coursing through her body.

She started her car and drove towards home. If his childhood days were troublesome, then his teen age was problems galore. She just couldn't understand how to deal with it. He wouldn't talk anything about school, or his friends his classmates his games practice... Nothing. She tried many times teasing him about his friends sometimes about girls, he just scowled at her and locked himself in his room. His grades were good and teachers had no problem with him in the class. It was outside the class that problems always started. He used to cry a lot. Sometimes he came running to her crying so hard till his throat went dry. He was made fun by his classmates for that, they called him 'sissy', 'crybaby', 'a girl'. All those emotions were slowly turning to anger. She knew he needed help. She felt helpless.

She had no one to turn to here. Her family was in Mumbai. She remembered holding the small baby all bundled up and when Saxena handed it over to her she felt an instant connection to the baby and promised then she will take care of him and always be there for him, and the small baby induced a new life into her buaji who was still recovering from the loss of her son. "Leave Mumbai and never come back Kushi...Saxena had said. "But my jiji is here..."

"This is the age of planes and jets Kushi...wherever you are she can come and see you but you better be far away from here.."he gave her a large envelope. "Take this money." Kushi protested. "Be practical Kushi. It is not easy to take care of an old woman and a new born. What if he develops some complications... What will you do for his education? This will help to cover the initial expenses. I will send some more... ..after you settle down in your new city for his medical expenses and for his education. Take it. You are doing a great service to the baby." She listened to him took the money and never looked back. Payal was in college at that time. While she continued her studies there. Kushi moved away.

She went home anxiety within her as she opened the door and stood there shocked. His shoes and socks were scattered all over the place and a dirty plate was on the table.

Mrs Ahuja had been right. Anish was home. It was just 1.30 in the afternoon school closed only at three. What was he doing here?

"Anish are you there bb..eta?"she stopped herself from calling baby. She didn't want to annoy him. "Yeah..."he said from his room.

"Tea will be ready in ten.."she called back. She placed some biscuits and snacks on a plate and set the pan for tea. While the water was boiling she washed her face and came back to finish the preparation. She took the plate and slowly climbed upstairs. The dog was sitting outside the door and whining. Scratching the door now and then. He saw her and whined louder. "Anish...."

"Leave me alone..." He shouted from inside.

"I've brought tea ba..beta.."she said, and Toughy whined louder and started wagging his tail faster, stood in front of the door hoping Kushi will open it.

"You want to go in there.....I don't think it is a good idea....you are asking for trouble."she said to the dog in a sing song soft voice. "But you and I are suckers for trouble aren't we?"she smiled and shouting, "I'm coming in..."she pushed open the door.

"No...go away... Go away....I don't want tea...I don't want to see anyone...." he groaned. Toughy rushed past her and jumped on his bed and began licking his face. "Oh...okay!"he sighed and put his hand on his neck and rubbed the fur without shifting his eyes from the ceiling above.

Kushi saw the total mes the room was in and sighed. Jeans and t-shirts carelessly strewn over the chair and bed stand. The floor was covered with plastic things of various sizes and shapes, batteries and wires all part of some aero dynamics project he was working and he had refused her entry into his room and lay hands on his things in the name of cleaning. Her hands were itching to put all the things in their rightful place. But controlling her urge to voice her protest, she carefully treaded inside the room, so as not to step on anything. He still didn't look at her.

"Then he punched me and said I'm a psycho...and need to be in mental hospital along with other mentals.."

"I punched him...gave one on his nose...left him bleeding..there was blood everywhere"

"Oh my God! Anish...how could you? Is he hurt bad?" She asked worried. Karan Mehta had been tormenting him since middle school. She knew most of the times that boy was at fault and he had been reprimanded many times. But that boy just wouldn't let Anish be.

"Ma....I'm disappointed that I didn't break some of his bones....I should have...but that Vice Principal caught us fighting..." He said in a disappointed voice.

"Anish...why can't you just stay away from trouble? Why do you have to pick a fight with him?"she asked angrily.

"That's what you think? That I picked a fight with him? I was minding my own business...he was walking towards me in the corridor. I sensed he was going to do something ....he came near me and I saw him raise his hand, I ducked and got up and gave him a punch on his big fat stomach.."he said excitedly. "He began to scream some real rotten words...we began to roll on the ground, going for each other's throat....then he said some things about you..." His voice became soft.

"Oh baby! How many times I have to tell you...let them say whatever they want....you know it is not..."she tried to take his hand in her's. He jerked her hand away and said angrily, "He said....that ...that...you were that kind of woman...and that I don't have a father..."

Kushi closed her eyes, "You do know you don't have a father....your dad is dead."she said trying very hard to be patient.

"But he didn't mean that amma..."he said angrily, "you know that....and I'm fifteen....I can very well understand what he meant by that..I got angry and punched him hard on the nose. Crowd began to gather and the boys began to shout and cheer....that's when the problem started, hearing the ruckus...VP came and took us to the Principal. He was not there. She made us wait. We were waiting for more than ten minutes, I couldn't sit in the same room with him, he again began to to call me names and said he'd kill me."

"I'm going to the principal... Calling names is one thing...but threatening..."

"Big deal!"he scoffed.

"What?"

"He is not going to kill me...they just say things like that all the time....he has no guts...he is afraid of me...any way I told him he is going to end up a stinking drunkard like his father in this ****ty town.."

Kushi glared at him, "That is too much...no wonder he said like that."

" I just jumped out of the window and went straight behind the canteen and climbed the wall and jumped out onto the road."

"Anish!"she said shocked beyond words. "What...did.." The phone rang.

She looked at him. "Go...that must be.. Mr. Manchandani.."

She got up and slowly went to her room anxious beyond words. She slowly picked up the receiver of the extension phone, bracing herself for what she was about to hear from the other side "Hello?"

Kushi began to panic, her voice began to choke, "But it was not his fault alone ....that boy never leaves my son alone..."

"But he is the one bleeding now and Anish is left unharmed." There was silence on both ends. Kushi was getting furious. One thing she was sure of was, Anish would never lie to her. And she felt now everybody was against him.

"This is not fair Mr. Manchandani.."

"Look...Ms. Gupta....I know....I'm talking to the parents...the father especially... telling him that there were witnesses that said, Karan was the one using foul language and started it...so I'm suspending both of them and since Anish had run away from school that extends to two more days for him. We are sending his bag and assignments and home work through his friend Irfan."

"But...sir..he can't miss classes..."

"I understand..Kushi...look ..." He said in a softer tone. His daughter was her colleague and they were good friends and the family was very supportive. "Talk to him, make him understand that he should control his anger....don't be too harsh....I'll take care of this end.."he said. "Make him understand that he can't continue like this... Otherwise we have to think of other options for him...."

"Other options?"asked Kushi worried.

"We'll not go into that now..tell him he has to control his emotions and finish his schooling..."

"He is a teenager.."

"All teenagers have problems these days....but the good thing is he is taking matters into his hands...that means he is learning to solve his problems..."

"Thank you...Uncle...what would I do without your support?"she choked.

"I know you can handle him...let him mull through it and come back fresh next Wednesday. Have a good week end."

"Thanks...bye!"

She walked slowly back to his room. He was busy texting something on his phone, and looked less tense. "Well...what did he have to say?"he asked breaking the silence in the room.

"You are rusticated till Wednesday."

"Good! I hate school!"he shouted.

"Karan's father has planned to press charges."she said worried.

"Really!" He sat up. "Let them....I'm not scared...."

"But fortunately for you there are witnesses that are ready to vouch that you weren't at fault...he was the one who threw the first punch."

"And he missed me by miles..."Anish said in a mocking tone. He smiled to himself, "Mayuri..."he thought.

He was waiting for her near the water cooler, to finish her labs and when he saw her walking out with her friends, he was walking towards them smiling at her, when the bully saw him and immediately knew there was going to be trouble. He hated Anish getting close to Mayuri the most popular girl in the school. And Karan was not going to let go of the opportunity to show her what a weak sissy Anish was. But Anish was ready for him. He saw the panic in her eyes, when Anish only half the size of Karan got some blows but he was agile and had a clear foot height over Karan that was to his advantage and when the VP was dragging them to the office, he turned and smiled at her. Her worried expression instantly changed and she smiled back.

"Damn! I should have broken his bones." He said loudly still smiling.

"Anish....I'm not going to hear any more of this..."she rebuked him. He lay back not bothering to respond. His smile still lingering on his face.

"Baby...look....you keep saying you've grown up....but you are not acting like one."

"Is it your friends? Your teachers? I'll talk to the Principal.. If they are being unfair to you...

"No need. They don't trouble me in any way...it is not that..."he said worried that he was keeping something very important away from his mother. "Shouldn't he warn her? Tell her that some danger was lurking in the dark, that someone was planning to bring trouble ?"

"Anish...It is something else isn't it? I heard you this morning...what's troubling you my child? Is it a bad dream? You can talk to me. What is it this time?" She had heard him screaming and had run to his room but stayed outside. She knew that if he woke up and saw her holding his hand he'd be furious accusing her of spying on him all the time. She waited till the sounds subsided then went downstairs to the kitchen hoping he would talk about it in the morning.

Anish sighed. There was no hiding facts from his mom. She would worry herself to death. "Amma...I lied to you... It never stopped ma....in fact it is getting worse. I'm able to see the person's future when I touch them and sometimes the nightmares....oh God! I'm scarred to fall asleep amma..!"

"Talk to me Anish? I can help you."she said softly.

"You know you can't... And don't tell me that I'm 'special', Angels are helping me...all that cr.ap...I know I'm a freak...I'm... Different... Oh God! It scares the sh.it out of me..."he covered his face with his palms. He hated it when he was afraid..hated himself for saying he was afraid to his mother.

"Talk to me...Anish..."she said gently rubbing his ankle, "what is it?"

"I don't know it is not clear. I see this man in a black jacket his head covered with a hood chasing me through a big city...it is so scary...and he's getting closer to me....amma sometimes I feel his breath behind me...looks like there is going to be trouble."he put it mildly. He didn't want to scare her.

She went white with fear. "What trouble?" He was quiet.

"Anish...?"

"Amma...I don't know what trouble amma...it is ...just that I also see this man and he says something about my father."

"What? What man?"her voice began to shiver.

"I don't know? It's like he turns....and calls out "my son!" He didn't tell her about a guy attacking him.

Kushi sat there stunned. That army man? He knew? Saxena said the guy didn't know that he was a father. How? Why after these years?

"Amma?"Anish saw her worried face.

"I don't understand baby. Your father is dead. Now from where did this man come from? It must be just a dream...I guess...it's nothing."she tried to pacify him but her unconvincing voice failed her.

"It is not a dream....ma..you and I know that...it is so evil.." He turned and looked at the wall covered with the new Avengers poster. All in their armour and masks. Wish he had a mask like that.

He got up opened the mesh door to the balcony and stood looking out at the empty grounds below. The street had five huge houses including theirs in the middle of acres of lands belonging to the Rat****s, next door. Half a kilometer away the fields lay overgrown with weeds, untilled and wasted after the old man's death.

Kushi went and stood next to him. Chill ran down her spine when she heard him say softly, "It is not just a dream amma....I know there is some danger lurking out there and it is moving towards us."

DOOMED TO DIE THE MOTHER OF MY SON (By Raani82) (Thanked: 38 times)

DOOMED TO DIE- THE MOTHER OF MY SON.

CHAPTER - 5

PILANI.

Arnav stomped on the brakes of his jeep as he reached the gates of the house and farms which he had leased as a caretaker. He opened the gates drove in and stopped. It was a huge house very strong , had stood the test of rough weather over the years. But the surrounding area around it was so depressing. With overgrown weeds and fallen tree trunks and piles of dried leaves and slush, it required humongous task force, time and money to clean up the whole area. He walked around The walls of the cow shed had fallen and half its roof blown away. He had to check the water pipes and the motor room he thought. No wonder nobody was interested in buying the house, Arnav thought as he entered the house. But he had no choice. He was there on purpose and he had to see it through no matter how painful it was going to be. He brought his things from the truck, meagre as it was and placed them in the middle of the hall. The rooms smelled musky, and the furniture were covered with dust and cobwebs. He switched on the power and went to the kitchen and switched on the fridge. The owners had left the essentials. Thank God for that. He rummaged his bag took out the beer bottles and put them inside. He decided he would go around town scouting for men who could assist him and would keep himself busy planning and making arrangements for the renovation of the house. He had sought time from the owners in Jaipur that he would make the decision of purchasing the property only after a year. He had no plans of buying any property here in Pilani. He was simply buying time to find out more about his neighbour, Mrs.Kushi Kumari Gupta and her son Anish Gupta. He would start moving the coins and soon the pieces would start falling into place. "Kushi Kumari Gupta! Here I come." He smiled from his room upstairs, looking straight across the fence into her house. When the lights went off in her room he turned and lightly dusted the mattress took out some sheets and pillow covers and prepared his bed. He checked the pipes in the toilet. All in working condition. Good! He went and checked the motor room. He then walked to the kitchen took out a bottle of beer from the fridge and went back to the drawing room and sat on the dusty old sofa.

The last he had set eyes on any of the Mallik family members was fifteen years ago. He had left Mumbai and his mother for good, with a determination of a teenager that he'll never set foot on that soil again. He clenched his fists as anger built up within him thinking of his dreadful childhood. His mother devoting herself to a scum of a man, his father, who never accepted him as his son. The bitter truth was his mother was least bothered about that, in fact she was very grateful to that man for keeping her as his mistress and providing for her and his son. Damn! As much as he tried to forget all those years it just wouldn't go and let him be.

He sat there thinking about the Malliks. A six year old Arnav hiding behind a tree looking at the big bright SUV that came to drop his cousins and half brother and sister daily at St.Steven's. Little Lavanya holding her mother's hand. Her cousin sisters Shetal and Anjali walking behind followed by her brother Praneeth, her cousin brother Akash and Mayank. All in their bright, crisp white and grey uniform, maroon tie and shining shoes. Hair neatly gelled and combed. Not a hair out of place. Arnav looked down at his torn dirty shoes and then at theirs in awe. The school gates opened and they went inside. The guards almost bending double to greet the lady holding Lavanya's hand. She turned and left making sure the children were inside.

When he was eight years old he had followed them one day to Siddhi Vinayak temple. He knew by then that they were there every Tuesday evening. His jaw dropped looking at their shining clothes. There was a flurry of activity around as a man held the car door open as Anjali and her mother got out of the car. Anjali a couple of years older than him smiled at her father, who smiled back and took her hand and walked towards the temple. His eyes narrowed in anger looking at that man, supposed to be his father, who could show love and care for his wife and kid but treat him, his son like a stray dog, every time he came to his house. Many a times his mother wouldn't even allow him to be in the house when this man came to their house. His fists clenched, he walked towards the shining car and made a huge grunting noise from deep within his stomach and spat on the driver's side window glass. Satisfied, he walked and stood few feet away waiting for the man....his father to come out.

They came out an hour later and each family got inside their respective cars. Arnav waited as Manohar approached his car. He saw him stop short of his car with arm half raised to open his side of the door and heard him let out a loud expletive.

"Sh..it...what the hell?" Manohar looked up at the hundreds of birds flying above . Anjali came running with a water bottle. Her mother was already inside the car not bothered to even react. Manohar poured water over the dried spittle and took out a cloth and wiped it clean, muttering in anger to himself. Arnav walked away smiling to himself. That anger at such tender age never dissipated and it only seemed to boil like an active volcano inside him as years went by.

He never looked back and moved as far away as he could from this evil family trying very hard to bury the demons of his childhood deep under the Earth, until the day he got a call from Lavanya.

A month earlier Arnav parked his open jeep a little further away from the restaurant Lucky Dharbar.

He jumped out of it, rubbed his beard as his eyes scanned around wondering whether it was prudent enough to even meet a member of that family which he hated and avoided like plague. He took out the silver coin from his pocket and looked at it. "Head you win, tails I lose."he flicked it and caught the spinning coin in his palm and slowly opened it. The Parliament House. Tails. As always, I lose, he thought and walked inside. What else did he expect. It was a no win situation.

What did she have to say to him after all these years? He slowly walked inside looked around and walked straight to the bar took a seat at the corner table. The bar was not crowded. It was a week day and still early in the evening. He ordered a beer and leaned back to wait for her.

Lavanya walked in after few minutes. She looked different, no longer a young teenager, in a pony tail and short skirt. She was wearing a tight jeans and lace top. She had put on weight only slightly. She wore lot of make up to make her look young. A huge sun glasses covered her face and she walked straight to him and took a chair opposite him. "Arnav Singh Raizada! Look at you! It is a crime to have an handsome hunk like you walking around."she smiled. "Hello Lavanya! I thought you are not going to come."he smirked. "What brings from Mumbai the high and mighty kinds like you to this small town ?"

She hurriedly took the menu card in her hand and began to fan herself. "This weather is atrocious! Surely I wanted to see you that's why? How do you even survive in places like these?"she then eyed the beer and said, "Arnie get two more of those and let's go to my car and talk."she got up. He smiled. Asked for two more bottles and followed her. A bright huge BMW was parked outside the restaurant. She asked the driver to have his dinner while she got in at the back of the car and moved inside for Arnav to follow. The driver adjusted the AC closed the door and went away. She quickly opened the bottle and took a couple of gulps and let out a huge sigh.

Arnav felt something at the pit of his stomach, ever since the day she called him and said she wanted to meet him. Why has she come here? After all these years. Surely she wouldn't have, if it was not that important. This was not good. Definitely not good. Fear gripped him. She then took out her gold cigarette box and her lighter and lighted one. And stretched the box towards him. He took one. And eyed her.

"Lavanya....I'm losing my patience...why did you call me here?"he said the suspense getting on him. Her hands were shaking and she seemed nervous which increased his tension more. "Lavanya! What the hell!"

"Yes...yes....I ...I have something to tell you..."

"WHAT IS IT?"he shouted in anger. Lavanya flinched.

"You remember that night...we were..." She asked softly.

"What? What are you...?"

"That night Arnav..we were together..."she said nervously.

"Yes I do....though I try very hard to erase from my mind..."he said as he lowered the glass to blow the smoke outside. She did the same. "Well it never was that easy for me."she said, "Arnav...I ...I ..don't know how to say this..." She covered her face with her palms with the butt of the cigarette glowing outwards.

Arnav's nerves felt like it was being twisted. He was brazing himself for something worse "What is it?"he asked.

"We have a child!" She said as she took a long gulp from the bottle, relieved that she was finally out with it.

Arnav froze. "What?"

"We have a son. He is fifteen years old."

A child! A son? What is she talking about? This has to be a joke. I'm a father? There has to be some mistake.

"Lavanya are you out of your mind? What are you talking about?"

"I became pregnant, Arnav. And my parents found out. That was the worst part. If I had told you...you could have arranged for an abortion... Or something.."

"Oh for God's sake Lavanya... Want are you saying?"

A child? He has a fifteen year old child? He felt the whole world crumble on him. It was too much to bear. The pain, the agony. The storm clouds were gathering outside. The humidity was unbearable. He was sweating in spite of the AC. She was lying. She was capable of anything, but one look at her pale worried face he knew she was not lying. "No....no..."he shouted. "I don't believe you. Why didn't you tell me then?"

"Arnav! Why would I come all this way to tell you now. Couple of months later I realised I was pregnant. I was just sixteen Arnav, what did you expect? I was so terrified I didn't tell anyone. You were not there. You were in jail. My mom found out that I was carrying but it was too late. It was bad they found out I was pregnant and above that I couldn't tell them you were the father. Imagine what would have...."

"Oh yeah! I know! A unwanted ba.stard..."

"That my son is a b.astard of a bast.ard?"

"Lavanya! Stop it!"he said angrily, gritting his teeth.

"Okay! I'm sorry! That is hitting below the belt. I shouldn't have said that. Sorry."

She flicked opened a lid which had an ashtray inside and she crushed the butt in it. Arnav did the same, then turned away. "I told them the father was a married army guy named Shauriya Dubey, who was on leave and we had an affair and he had left without leaving any contact address. They believed at that time. And my mom came out with a suggestion that was best at that situation. To give the baby away for adoption."

"I was sent to our farm house in Goa and an old lady kept me company. My parents lied to everybody that my grandparents wanted me in U.S." He was listening quietly.

"The loss of my brother had affected my parents and on top of that ..my pregnancy....I didn't want the baby...at that time...my school...my friends , my family...what would I do with a baby?"

He took one long gulp from the bottle and looked at her. Two irresponsible, kids, drunk one night not bothered about the consequences... One foolish night....which he regretted ever since....how could he? She was his cousin....Oh God! She must be telling the truth.

"I didn't see the baby once it was out of the room I had delivered."she sniffed. "It was a wonderful feeling you know...something one can never explain...I felt so ...so..wonderful when I saw the baby in the old lady's arms. But it was an impossible situation and I didn't want it."she quickly dabbed her eyes. Arnav thought about his miserable childhood. A father who never wanted him, considered him a nuisance, a mistake, a planning gone wrong while having their fun, a family that spurned him and treated him like a mere dirt on their shoes. Now he has sired a son, unwanted by his family. He smiled thinking of the irony of it. All the pain, the hate, the humiliation,the thirst for revenge the boiling fury within him whenever he thought about the Malliks surfaced once again. Over the years he had tried very hard to control his emotions and moved very far away from them and decided to forget about revenge. But all those painful memories came back to haunt him. He and a Mallik girl had a son? That too an illegitimate one ? No...no...no...it just can't be!

He looked at her doubts creeping within. He always knew Lavanya was different from her brothers and cousins.…..his cousins...but he didn't credit her with anything after all she was also a blue blood...Mallik. She was capable of lying through her teeth to get things done. She was a rebel and she had always eyed him with amu****t and interest because the elders, his cousins, her brother included and her cousins his sister included, detested him and treated him like dirt in their shoes. She became friendly to him just to irk them. But he was forced to accept she was telling him the truth now. Her fingers were shaking as she tried to light another cigarette.

"So why are you telling me now?" He asked his calmness, belying the thundering in his heart. This was not good. He knew it in his guts.

DOOMED TO DIE THE MOTHER OF MY SON (By Raani82) (Thanked: 38 times)

DOOMED TO DIE- THE MOTHER OF MY SON.

CHAPTER - 6

PATHANKOT

"My father doesn't have long to live....some rare disease that will paralyse the motor function of every muscle one by one. Now he has Parkinson's as well. So suddenly he has become spiritual and all that ****....realised money can't buy his life..."she laughed without any mirth. He scoffed. Manick Chand Mallik.... Spiritual?

"My father wants his grandson back into the Mallik family, suddenly he talks about blood thicker than water...and all."she said.

He muttered a curse, knowing it would be the biggest punishment for the kid or for any child to live in that family.

"After my brother he doesn't find any other member , including you ...worth heading the Mallik empire. So he wants our son to become the legal heir. Oh...there is Akash, Mayank and my uncle but you know how he feels about them."

He remained listening. "He would not stop till he finds him. I bet he would hire the best detective to bring him back. He has got the power, the money, the people, the police under him. The truth will come out. He will soon find out that there was no army officer by that name and eventually the truth that you are the father to my child will also come out." Her hands were literally shaking.

"You haven't answered me yet. " he said calmly.

She showed him her ring finger. A huge rock of a diamond was sitting there. "I'm going to be married."she said.

"So? What's new? I'm sure this is not your first!"he said nonchalantly.

"Okay...I was divorced....had many affairs after that...but now I've found the right guy. Arnav...Raj...loves me. His family is very conventional. They were disturbed that I'm a divorcee... But Raj is by my side. Now if he comes to know that I've had a baby even before I was married....I'm sure his family will not accept me...oh ****! Even he'll reject me."

"What do you want from me? He asked.

"Find out where your son is. You are the father...find him before my father does."she said. He sat there frozen.

"Arnav...please..help me!" Lavanya was desperate.

"Why don't you talk yo your father Lavanya... You are wasting your time here." He said finally finding some strength to say something that would make her understand that he still hadn't bought her story.

"My father cares a hoot...about my life Arnav. All he is bothered is about his empire. His explanation would be that I shouldn't much bother about any guy because he is providing for me in abundance anyway....you know him Arnav... If Praneeth had been alive all this would never have come out in open....but now ...Nothing would stop him if he has set his mind upon something... His mind is on getting his grandson... Our son back..."

"You are going to be married....you can have more kids?"he said.

Lavanya nodded. "Few months after, I developed some major complications, after some complicated surgeries the doctor said I could never conceive again."

"Oh!" Arnav didn't know how to react to this. "What about the family that adopted him? Surely they are not going to give him up that easily."he said.

She nodded, "There is no family...just a woman... And I don't think anything was done legally..."

"What? The baby was given away to a woman just like that?"his disgust and anger increasing a notch higher thinking about what her father had done. Lavanya stayed silent. After all she was also a party to all that.

"So.... he knows about this person who adopted him....what's the big deal!"

"No...he doesn't know anything except that his friend helped him to give away the baby...." She lit another cigarette. He waited. "I sought the help of one private detective to follow that lead."

"You..did that?"he didn't believe her.

" Yes! I was sixteen, I was scared...but not stupid...You know after a few months when the doc said I can't have any other issues, I wanted to know about my son. What if I wanted him later on in life? I wanted to know if he was okay...his whereabouts... And I had known that my father had sought the help of one Mr. Akshay Saxena. ."

Arnav looked at her in amazement. He realised now that he had to give more credit to the girl he knew back then. He never knew that she could be capable of all this.

"The man of course had come with the positive news that it was indeed Akshay Saxena, Mumbai's leading Real Estate Developer. My man checked into his accounts and found that the company was in doldrums and at the time of our son's birth an amount of seventy five crores had been transferred from our company to his, on the pretext of purchase of new office space at Washi. Bull ****....there was no purchase of course..."

"And?"Arnav became interested.

"But by that time unfortunately, Saxena had died and the company had changed hands. Many employees were laid off. He followed the trail of his employees his clients, past and present and found about almost all the employees and their families except his personal secretary Kushi Kumari Gupta. A year later he came back and said that she was in Jaipur with her old aunt and her ....Our son.... Anish."

"Anish?"

"Yep...that's his name, Anish Kis**** Gupta. She is a very young woman, a widow, a teacher at high school...whose husband and daughter were killed in an accident ....and school birth certificate claims Anish as her son. So there are no legal adoption papers. And my guess is she must have got lots of money...for this."

"A gold digger?"Arnav gritted his teeth.

Lavanya nodded. "Why else would a seventeen year old girl accept to take care of a baby? There is a lot of money involved. A couple of crores probably..."

"So if it is this easy for you to find out....wouldn't it be easy for your father to find out about this woman and our son?" Strange ....it came so easily now...our son!

"Fifteen years ago Saxena's office was still functioning. It was easy to follow the money trail. Of course my father would engage the best detective in business and he is sure to find out. But we have a lead. And I know the real father of my son. That's why I want you to find out first and lay claim to your son."

"If it is my son...."Arnav corrected.

She sighed. "He is Arnav....find out for yourself..."she then said, "For a couple of years he was giving me news about them. Then the frequency became less and whenever he needed money he came with some information about them. Latest was , they are in Pilani, she is working in Birla High School, and her aunt is no more. Anish is studying in another Birla Higher Secondary School. As far as I know she loves her son and has taken good care of him. Then I lost interest and the detective stopped coming. Its been five years since I've heard anything about them."

"How do you know they are still there?"

She shrugged, "Don't know.....I bet you can find out...you've been helping the police as well."

Arnav looked at her surprised. The prison warden took interest in the intelligent, hard working young lad, and offered him a deal. Arnav could either complete his full term of seven years in hell or with his knowledge about his contacts in prison cell, he could help the authorities nab the drug ring and be pardoned off. So he did as the old guy asked and was out of the prison in two years and far away from the Pune Jail.

"How do you know that? Where you keeping an eye on me as well?"

"Not really...but I like to keep tabs on person of interest to me."

"Okay I find out about my son...then what? We tell him that two drunken teenagers were careless one night and that he was conceived and the family didn't want him?"

"I don't know...but I only know that I don't want this boy **** up my life now."

"You know me ....I'm a loner....what am I going to do with a teenager ...?"

"Would you rather let my father have your son?"

Arnav turned away in disgust. If he was really his son , God help me....I would not allow that old man to lay his filthy hands on him, he thought. Lavanya smiled. She knew she had him. She took out an envelope from the back seat pocket and handed it to him.

"You hate your father and my father...this is one way of getting back at them. Beat him in the race."she said. "I have something for you." she opened her purse and took out an envelope

"All the details I've had about the girl is here." She then took out a yellowed photo from her purse and gave it to him. "This is the girl,"she said, "when she was studying in Jaipur, fifteen years ago, taken outside the college."

Arnav looked at the woman in the photo a mere young girl, smiling and waving to her friends as she was crossing the road, a pencil thin body in salwar kameez, her dupatta casually thrown around her neck, fluttering in breeze along with locks of long hair. She had clipped it near her neck and her danglers looked askew as if like dancing as she walked across the road.

"Please Arnav... I'll give you as much money as you want...please find our son before my father does."Lavanya said.

"Really...so you are all filmy now ...and what? you'll give a blank cheque?"Arnav asked.

She remained silent.

He stared at the photo once again, a new sensation, a sort of tingling started in the chest and spread to his belly. He pocketed it confused by his own feelings.

PILANI

As he sat brooding over the turn of events that took place a couple of months ago, he once again walked to the window and looked across the fence to the house beyond.

He made arrangements for his lands to be taken care of, in his absence and had called his friend in the covert operations dept. and asked him for the details of this woman. The file Lavanya had given him had her Aadhar number and he also gave his friend her current location.

Kushi Kumari Gupta! Why would a girl be so desperate to have this baby? Was it for money? Was the money so alluring that she even risked taking the baby without proper papers? Why would a young college going girl want a baby...for love...for money...surely for money only. He pulled out the papers from the envelope and read about her. Born in Lucknow, finished schooling there and ran away from home to marry NK and had a child. Joined as secretary to Akshay Saxena. Her husband and kid were killed in an hit and run case and the culprit was never found out. She had left Mumbai couple of months later.

"Kushi Kumari Gupta ! Who are you? What is your connection with the Malliks? Whoever you are, whether you're guilty of the sin or innocent as a lily....I don't care. The life as you've known it all these years is going to change forever that is for sure. And if he is my son ....no matter what..too bad... you are going to lose him. You've had your chance and now it is mine. No boy of mine is going live without his father's care."

He was planning to announce his arrival to his neighbours and to meet the boy as well, then the next step was to convince himself that the boy was his son, and if he was his son, then slowly find out about the mother and the kid and claim his rights as the father of the kid. He didn't have any idea how he was going to deal with a fifteen year old, but one thing was clear, he would not let the old man Mallik lay his filthy hands on the boy, and if he was his son, he would not allow any one else to parent his kid. Whatever it was, it was simply not good for that woman of that he was very sure.

DOOMED TO DIE THE MOTHER OF MY SON (By Raani82) (Thanked: 44 times)

Arnav Singh Raizada, entered the not so busy shop, the only decent tea shop in Pilani and looked around. The old man looked at him, "Namaste shetji." He said welcoming him, "New to town?"

Arnav nodded. "Yeah!" He took the seat next to the counter. "So? a short stay here....or are you going to work in the college?"

"No...no...I've got the contract to renovate and take care of the Rat**** Mansion and the fields. Just stopped by for tea. I'll be staying here for sometime."he said, sipping the tea that the waiter had placed before him. "It was buzzing with activity till few years ago....but after the old man's death....it has gone to ruins..."the server said.

"Good the kids found someone to take care of the lands." Another guy said. "Have you met your neighbours?" "No...not yet.."

"Kushi bitiya lives to the south of you..." The old man started to say.

"Oh! And who else?"he asked pretending to be bored.

"She is alone ...a widow...lives with her boy..."

Arnav sat up straight, his fingers clenching the cup tightly.

"She works in the High School, but never moves around much...keeps to herself."said the old man.

"That boy is enough for her to keep her occupied the whole time."chirped in another guy. "A devil I might say..."

"Only one devil will recognize another one."said the old man and others laughed.

"He is kind of different you see....doesn't fit in here..."

Arnav nodded, ears perked up for any bit of information he could get on Kushi , but his mind elsewhere, his eyes focussing on the road outside. While he was cleaning his room, he found a box under the cot, with empty cigarette boxes, few bottles of beer and few adult magazines. "Well, well, well! This place sure looks like a juvenile hangout. The young boy seems to have been keeping himself quite busy." If the boy seems to a bit out of line, it would indeed turn out to be very convenient for him. His job would be easy to take him away from his mother.

"Will she come here today?" He was hopeful she would. He finished his tea, ordered a samosa and tea again and waited. He became restless. Its been a couple of days since he's been to this god forsaken place and still he hadn't created an opportunity to meet her. He didn't have time in his hands. He sighed. He must think of another way to get her acquaintance. He almost gave up waiting. When he saw her silver grey Honda Civic gliding to a stop opposite the road. He tensed. He got up paid the old man and walked out.

"Phase -1"he thought and went to his jeep.

Kushi parked her car, crossed the road and reached the Banaari Lal Mittai and smiled at the old man sitting at the counter. "Kushi bitiya ....how are you?"

Raghuveer came quickly near her, "The same Didi...?"

"Yes Veer..."

"Have tea till I pack for you." She sat down smiling. The hot jillebies and samosas were Anish's favourite and she made it a point to visit the shop twice a week to have tea and meet people. This was the only socialising she did. For the past fifteen years her focus had only been Anish and her career. Few minutes later she left the shop carrying the brown paper bag in her hand , crossed the road and walked towards her car. She got inside placed the bag on the passenger seat and started and the car had hardly moved when she heard a loud plop and the car wobbled a bit. She stopped got out and noticed the flat rear tyre and scowled. "God! No....not now!" She was too tired to even move a muscle and now this? The garage was at least a kilometre away. Thinking that she had no other choice but to drive the car to the garage, she opened her side of the door when she heard his voice. "Oh..oh! You've really got a bad one here."he said.

"I know I know..."she said without turning, frustrated, that now the people will start giving her instructions. Small town...nothing will go unnoticed."I'll take it to the garage." She was about to get in when she heard him say again, "I can help you....its just a couple of minutes job."

She turned to look at him. Their eyes met. Arnav felt a chill ran down his spine. She didn't look like anything he had imagined she would be. And at such close proximity she looked like an angel in distress. He pulled his gaze away from her dove like eyes and forced himself to look down. "It is okay...I can take care of it myself." She realised she was talking to a stranger and tried to move away from there. Of course she had nothing to fear...with so many known people around, college kids all over the place, this stranger couldn't harm her. But the way this man looked at her, she felt a slight tightening in her stomach. Arnav noticed her hesitation to trust a stranger.

"Trust me...you will not be able to drive to Babul's garage.."

He knew about the garage? Is he from here? She hadn't seen him before. She would have remembered the handsome face. She had no choice but to trust him. She looked around. People were busy with their work. "I don't want to trouble you...you see I know to change tyres ..."

"Okay...just thought I'll help you.."he said. She still didn't trust him. But she was too tired she wanted to get back home.

"You don't mind..."

"Of course I don't... Been doing it all the time..." He stretched his hand for the keys. Her fingers brushed his palm as she handed over her keys. Arnav's fist clenched. No...this can't be anything. He had buried these thoughts for so many years....they can't peak up now.

Why her? Why now? Something was not right. He stood still.

"Sir...hello...anything wrong?" Kushi asked confused.

"Haan...no...just..."he turned away and moved towards the trunk. He knew she was watching him, judging him rather. And with great difficulty he tried to focus on the work on hand and avoided looking at her.

"Tyres look pretty good. Don't drive much I guess."

"No...just around town...work and home ...nearly five years since I've purchased this...no trouble so far... until today."she said. Looking at him folding his Kurta, revealing a taut hairy forearm.

"Are you working somewhere?"he asked.

"Yeah I'm a teacher at Birla School. You know... few kilometers from here, next to BITS." Why am I saying all this to him, she chided herself

He nodded. Still not looking at her. "You are new here? I haven't seen you around." she asked him curious to know what a hunk of a guy was doing in a place like this.

"Yeah....just moved here a couple of days ago."

"From where?"she asked.

He didn't answer but was busy searching for something. He got up went to his green jeep, brought a spanner and sat down to work. He removed the punctured tyre and replaced it with the good one. Then he put the tyre inside and eyed it. "Oops...there is a sharp nail in here." He showed her.

She just shrugged suggesting it happens...what to do?

"I don't know how to thank you..it was really kind of you..."

"No need to thank...I take care of my lands and knowing all these small jobs comes in handy..."

"Maybe.." She thanked him after he handed over the keys and opened the driver's door, when he said, "Better get the other tyre fixed and ready as soon as possible....you don't want to be stranded somewhere."

She simply nodded, scared to even think of that scenario.

She saw him go to his jeep, throw the tools at the back and move to the driver's door and she drove off. Arnav watched her go, a small butterfly still fluttering in his stomach. "Damn you! Lavanya!" He cursed and drove off.

Next day morning at the breakfast table, Anish was buttering his toast, when Kushi slowly said, "I heard you scream last night...another of those dreams?" She had sat up straight, in the middle of the night, when she heard his screams. She bolted to his room but didn't go inside. She plastered her ears to the door and tried to listen in as much as she could. When the noise inside stopped she slowly walked back to her room.

Kushi stiffened, "No...no...it can't be that man..why would he come now after all these years.."she thought, "Devi mayya.. Raksha karna.."

"Probably you are thinking about him...more now ..."

"I can feel the trouble ma.."

"You know your father died in a road accident...with your sister.."

"I know the story you told me amma...but why do I feel that my father ....that..he is still alive? Is there someone else you are not telling me about?"

"Anish!"she shouted. "Watch your words..."

"See ...all these voices...these scenes that come in my mind...Karan is right then.. I'm mental...…!"he laughed

"It will be all right...dear..don't worry.."

"It will not be all right amma...I can feel it...there is going to be real danger and we can do nothing about it..."

"Danger? But you said trouble the other day?"

"What's the difference?"

"There's a whole lot of difference. Trouble is forgetting to do your homework...a mistake in the cheque leaf....but danger is life threatening, pain..."

"Whatever!"he said taking the cricket ball in his hand and kneading it with his fingers, as if it will make all his fears go." Kushi saw his face writ with worry.

Kushi went inside the kitchen on the pretext of making tea. She almost burnt her fingers while placing the pan on the stove. She quickly sucked her fingers and calmed herself. "Play it cool Kushi... Calm down...calm down..."

Anish still didn't know he was adopted. She didn't want to tell him ever. She was terrified that with growing technology, blood sampling, DNA testing, truth might come out that she was not his mother. She thanked her Goddess that Anish never required any blood, due to injury, or he was never that ill that he needed a bone marrow, or tissue samples that will make her answer lots of questions.. And if he knew the truth he wouldn't stay there. He would leave her, to find out who his biological parents were. Why he is so different from others? And she didn't have the heart to tell him that his parents didn't want him and that his father, never wanted him, never cared for him probably never knew he existed. He would break into pieces, to know that his parents abandoned him.

If needed she always thought that she'll wait till he is an adult, old enough to understand. Probably it will do less damage then. Not at this tender age.

"Never too old for me...you are still my baby."she said, adjusting his tie. "Don't worry!"

He knew his mother meant well. She loved him. But she can't protect them from the danger they were going to face. How can he tell her about the guy with hood trying to kill him. And he had searched the Google and found out about the songs he had heard in his visions. They were sung during Ganesh Chaturthi. It was June and he was just a couple of months away from danger.

"I have that feeling ma....that terrible feeling that ... that man is coming for us....and he is getting very near."he whispered.

DOOMED TO DIE THE MOTHER OF MY SON (By Raani82) (Thanked: 32 times)

DOOMED TO DIE- THE MOTHER OF MY SON.

CHAPTER - 8

MUMBAI 2018

Manick Chand Mallik, lighted his pipe with difficulty and slowly willed his shaking hand to place it in his open mouth. Parkinson was setting in and people began to notice the slight shaking of his fingers , his head and the shivering in his voice. He closed his eyes and lay back his head on the recliner.

His body was undergoing all the process of old age. Especially after his wife Tanuja's death five years back. She had never questioned his decisions in the forty years of their marriage. She had been loyal to him. Though it cannot be said the same about him. He have had brief flings and affairs, with young and older women. Who were just satisfied with money and gifts and jewellery. Even if she had known she never raised any questions and went on with her life. And matters between them just withered away after their son's death and the mess their daughter had got into. Only at the late stage she told him about her cancer, and she fought the pain alone till the end. All the money he had could not bring her back to life. He realised how much he missed her now. He was tired of living alone in that huge house. He was losing control. The pain and uneasiness was taking over. He didn't know how long he was going to live. He thought about his only son Praneeth and tears gathered in his eyes. Such vibrance, such energy and intelligence all snuffed out at such a young age. If only he had been here he would have handed over the entire Mallik empire to his son happily. Of course now he had his good for nothing brother Mukund, and his even worse good for nothing son Mayank to carry the reins but he could not trust them. Seven generations of this hard earned empire would be ruined in their hands. Then of course his sister Manorama and the scoundrel of a brother in law Manohar Panikar and their son, Akash . No way. Surely none of them were fit to run this empire. There were the girls of course, whining for more money always. But Manick was an old school type, who believed that a woman's place was at her home to look after the other men in her family.

But of late he began to think about his only progeny who would be the right person to take the reins in his hands. His grandson. The boy whose face he didn't even look, on the day he was born. The boy he was too eager to give away for adoption fifteen years ago. And he would go to any end of the earth to bring him back to his rightful place.

He remembered how he had cornered his girl Lavanya, then a sixteen year old to do away with the foetus. But the adamant girl she is, she refused. But as months went by,she began to feel the strain and finally realised though late, that she was not ready to become a mother. Tanuja then came out with a solution to give the baby for adoption. They had faced enough problems with one bas.tard in the family he didn't want another one and giving him away he thought was the best option then.

Next came the question who the father was? Lavanya refused to say the name of the guy. But later when there were doubts that the father of the baby would come demanding for the baby, she told him that his name was Shauriya Dubey, an army man who had come on couple of months leave and after a brief affair he had left. It was then she realised a couple of months later that she was carrying his baby. She didn't have his phone number or contact address. The number he had used in Mumbai was no longer valid.

Making sure that the guy would not come back to trouble them about the baby he called his friend Saxena and asked him to take care of it. But now Saxena is gone. His liver couldn't tolerate his excessive drinking for long and that poor bast.ard croaked, taking with him all the secrets about his grandson. He thought about that boy. Fifteen years old, in the prime of his adolescence, smart, intelligent, shrewd and definitely with an air around him a class apart from all others. After all he is Mallik blood, blue blood.

He smiled. He had the money power to buy anything under the skies and nothing was going to stop Manick Chand from getting back his grandson. Nothing.

The maid entered announcing that the dinner was ready. He nodded and looked at his watch. His guest would arrive any moment now. He was looking forward for the meeting with the person who he knew would bring his grandson back.

He was waiting for a private detective, Shyam Manohar Jha. An unscrupulous one if there ever was. He had heard that, that man would not hesitate to sell his soul for money. Mallik wanted a man like that. He was sure for some amount of money he would do anything to bring his grandson back. For the first time after so many years he was looking forward for dinner.

Shyam Manohar Jha stepped out of his old Honda Civic and rubbed his hands in glee as he looked at the sprawling mansion in front of him. Here was a God given opportunity for him to strike gold and he was not going to let it slip out of his hand. He knew that the old man wouldn't be calling him unless it was really important and secretive. He was already making plans to milk the old man as much as he could and knew that it would not make any dent in his overflowing coffers.

The building situated in Worli, was nearly hundred years old, for no one could buy that piece of land in Mumbai in recent years, however rich one could be unless it was passed on from one generation to the next. He could smell the sea in the air and when he turned his head to the left, his eyes couldn't open wide enough to take in the azure sea waters lapping the sand with relentless fervour. "Man oh man if only I could live just for a day in this place!"

The huge door opened as he climbed the broad white marbled steps. A lady stood there, neatly dressed all prim and proper , in formal office attire. Short skirt, white shirt, matching black jacket, high heels , hair knotted at the top. He smiled, the old man had taste. His eyes gave her an once over and then rested on her face.

"Mr. Jha, this way please, Mr. Mallick is waiting for you." The woman said.

DOOMED TO DIE THE MOTHER OF MY SON (By Raani82) (Thanked: 35 times)

DOOMED TO DIE- THE MOTHER OF MY SON.

CHAPTER - 9

MUMBAI - 2018

"Mr. Jha, this way please, Mr. Mallick is waiting for you."she was all business like, unmindful of the looks he was giving her. Maybe she is used to men like him eyeing her, he thought. She turned and walked towards the huge doorway, expecting him to follow her. Follow her he did, enjoying her back view as much as he did her front. He finally managed to move his eyes away from her and look around. His jaw dropped. He had seen such splendor only in movie sets. The floor glistened with Italian Marble and one could see his own reflection on it. The walls were covered with murals and paintings with their heavy costly frames, from all over the world. The black rose wood furniture was class apart and he couldn't stop his fingers from caressing the top of the side table as he walked past it. "Careful Mr.Jha! That China vase on top of the table cost fifty lakhs!" Came the woman's voice as she walked past. He jerked his hand away. "Lord help me! Did she have eyes at the back?"

She led him to her boss's study. She stood aside as she opened the huge teak wood door. Shyam walked in tentatively, as she closed the door silently. The smell of tobacco filled his nostrils as he took few steps and stopped. The dark cushioned chair behind the huge curved desk slowly turned and Shyam stood face to face with the great Manick Chand Mallik. He clenched his fists tighter and stop the shivering and quickly he joined his hands to greet him. "Namaste....sir...it's such a great honour to.."

"Namaste Mr.Jha...please be seated...that's all for now Ruby....you can go...send coffee after half an hour... Coffee? No problem Mr.Jha?"

Ruby left. There was an awkward silence for few seconds, then the old man started.

"I need your help Mr. Jha, to find out the whereabouts of my grandson and bring him back to me."

"Your grandson?"

"My daughter's son. We gave him away fifteen years ago. Thought it was the best at that time. But now I have no option but to bring him back."

Shyam's heart began to thud fast. 'This is an easy piece of cake.' He thought. "Sure can do sir! I want the details."

"That's the problem Mr.Jha. I have no clue about his whereabouts. Where he is, who has adopted him....how he looks...I only know his date of birth."

"We can check the hospital records..."

The old man nodded.

Shyam's heart sank. He waited for the old man to continue.

"My daughter was only sixteen when she got pregnant. She hid it from us and by the time we came to know it was too late. The silly girl was too terrified and overwhelmed by what her future held for her, that she finally relented and we decided to give the kid away. We only know it was a boy. He was born in our farm house in Goa."

"What's the doctor's name?"

The old man nodded in frustration."A mid wife an old woman took care of her. I know it is quite far from here. I didn't want anybody snooping around especially the press. We didn't want another scandal you see...my son's death had caused enough damage to us..."the old man paused. There was a small tap on the door before it opened and an old uniformed man brought in a tray with coffee and snacks. Manick nodded. The servant waited. "That's all, Jogi...set the table for us..we are ready for dinner" the man nodded and left, closing the door but not fully. He waited and tried o listen in hard but could hardly decipher what they were talking about. What was this man with an old cheap coat, dirty shoes, doing in the conference room of Mr. Mallik? He strained his ears to listen in to their conversation, but could hear nothing clearly. Disappointed he waited for some more minutes then left. He knew his boss would be disappointed when he had nothing to tell.

Shyam was excited. "You have a name."

"As soon as the boy was born we gave him away. My friend Akshay Saxena took care of it."

"So where is your friend? We can take his help."

"He is buried six feet deep underground. Damn! And all the secrets about my grandson are buried along with him. He was a ladies man, gambled, got into trouble with banks and loan sharks and in spite of me helping him couldn't save his company. He had all types of underhand dealings, had connections everywhere. He had promised me that he would take care of the paperwork...that would never be traced back to the Malliks. I checked with the company that had acquired his business. They were conscientious people and. didn't want anything to do with Saxena...so they hardly have any previous files. "

"Yet you let him handle the adoption."

"He was just the kind of man i wanted . At that time we wanted to get rid of that illegitimate child. You see I didn't want a bast.ard kid years later at my doorstep with his hand out. We've had had enough trouble in our family with one illegitimate child of Manohar, my brother in law. We didn't need another one. Imagine the scandal it would have created. I was so arrogant and determined to not to set eyes on that kid then, he was a blight on the Noble Mallik family. Thinking of the utter snobbery of it..."he smirked, "Strange....how your feelings change after years go by when it is time to face your creator." the old man said with remorse. Shyam was least bothered about the old man's sentiments about his mortality. All he was bothered about was, that the old man pay him his due before he croaked.

"Blood is definitely thicker than water.... I want my grandson back...to the rightful place where he belongs "

"That is?"

"The heir to my family empire."

"What about the adopted parents? They might fight you."

"Who cares? There is nothing power and money can't do. Just find the boy.

"What about your daughter? Is she okay with that?"he asked.

"Who? Lavanya? She is not happy about it. She never wanted that child. And she doesn't want him now. She is upset of course. Stupid girl. She just wants me let my brother and her son inherit. So make sure she doesn't know anything about my plans. I'll deal with her when time comes."

Damn! Shyam thought.

"But she is your girl? You don't want her to take over?

"She is a woman."Mallik snorted. Shyam was surprised who talked such **** that women were inferior to men in this turn of 21st century? "All she cares about is getting her check every month."the old man said.

"What about your brother? Will they accept this boy taking over your business?"

Shyam asked, ready to attack the tasty food in front of him.

"Who? My brother Mukund? Of course he is not going to like it. Already he is pressurising me to announce as head of the company, hoping that it would pass on to his good for nothing son...Mayank. He had always been an irresponsible what do you call him...below his class...he would never measure up to lead this massive company. My brother only knows to enjoy his privileges...And my sister is breathing down my neck and keeping on eye on who I'm going to select."

"They are sure to find out."

"Sure...but I will talk to them when time comes."

"What about the army man, Shaurya Dubey?"

"That's why I hired you to find out. I don't want you to shut his mouth with money, if you find that army man. Dig up something on him, make him fall in line with you so he never comes back to us and threaten us with exposure about the boy."

"He has never enquired about the kid so far?"

"He is not even been in the picture so far. I bet he doesn't even know about the kid. But make sure he will not be a problem."

"You see, it is very essential that this remains very confidential."the old man said as he sipped his wine.

"Remember none of my family members must know about this. Any information you have contact me and let me know."

" I want him back! Back to where he belongs. I'll give you two crores if you bring the boy back."

Shyam's body began to tremble in excitement. They finished the dinner in silence.

Ruby entered. "Time for your meds and rest sir."she said.

"I know... I know....get a cheque for fifty lakhs and give it to him."he said getting up slowly the shivering in his hands and head visible.

Shyam sat alone in the huge room unable to hide his grin. He has found the goose which laid the golden egg.

The old man Mallik had a meeting with a detective? What for? What was the use of paying the butler some extra money, when he couldn't give the details of the meeting? All he knew was, Mallik met one Mr.Shyam Manohar Jha. And later it was found out that he was a detective. Manick Chand Mallik was manipulative and had ways to get his wishes done. What was he planning now? Enough was enough. He has to be stopped.

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